Upholstered top frame for carriage bodies



- P 1949- i J. A. CONT] 2,467,612

UPHOLSTERED TOP FRAME FOfi CARRIAGE BODIES Filed Aug. 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 1/ I! 'I l l/ l/ April 19, 1949, J. A. com 467,

UPHOLSTERED TOP FRAME FOR CARRIAGE BODIES Filed Aug. 3,1945 2 shet's she'et 2 121216-21 for.

Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UPHOLSTERED TOP FRAME FOR CARRIAGE BODIES John A. Conti, Gardner, Mass., assignor to Hedstrom-Union Company, Gardner, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 3, 1945, Serial No. 608,741

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in baby and doll carriage bodies and more particularly to improved top-frames of bodies and a method of upholstering such frames which desirably are padded and which usually support the main fabric body of the carriage in suspended relation within the frame.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the padding and covering of the top-frame of carriages have required an arduous and skillful manual manipulation of padding and covering sheet into proper relationship to the frame with the work progressing slowly along the frame until the complete rectangle of the frame was suitably padded and covered. It has been a problem to attain an approximate uniformity of distribution of the padding so that the finished frame would present smooth and uniformly padded surfaces. Also, it has been difiicult and time consuming to nicely and effectively cover the corner regions of the frame where the cover sheet has had to be folded upon itself and skillfully worked by the fingers to produce a satisfactory result. Actually a skilled upholsterer has been required to pad and cover the top-frames, the procedure having been to work the padding into position and to tack the covering at both sides of the frame element which was being covered, taking a little at a time and gradually working around the frame.

After a top-frame had been padded and covered according to the mentioned prior procedures, the top edge portion of the body fabric has been laid on the bottom surface of the covered frame, and a reinforcing strip has been laid on the edge portion of the body fabric and both the strip and the body fabric tacked to the frame with the work again proceeding slowly as these parts were positioned and tacked, starting at one place and gradually working around the frame.

It is an object of my present invention to provide an improved method whereby the topframes of carriages may be padded and covered by unskilled labor and on principles conducive to mass production, I provide a form having a groove in its top side generally of the rectangular shape of the carriage top-frame which is to be covered. Also the covering material is preformed and stitched to constitute a generally rectangular element whose sides and ends are generally channel-shape in cross section so that this covering element may be arranged in the bottom of the groove of the form with its edge portions protruding. Then a generally uniform strip of padding material is laid in the covering element, and the rectangular top-frame next is placed in the form against the padding, after which the protruding edges of the covering element are drawn tight around the padding and frame and laid one upon the other against the outer surface of the top-frame, being secured to the frame at intervals all around the frame, thereby to effect a uniform padding of the frame surfaces innermost of the groove of the form and to effect a covering of the entire frame.

Another object is to provide an improved method whereby the top-frame of a carriage may be padded and covered while the covering, padding and top-frame are within the groove of a rectangularly grooved form, and whereby the top edges of a fabric carriage body may be clamped to the frame while the padded and covered frame continue in said groove of the form. I provide a rectangular clamping frame which may be secured to the outermost side of the top-frame with the top edge portion of the body material en'- gaged and securely clamped between the topframe and the clamping frame, preferably with a tongue-in-groove inter-engagement between the confronting faces of the two frames whereby the tongue on one frame depresses the body material into the groove of the other frame throughout the rectangular extent of the frames.

A further object is to provide an improved method of upholstering the top-frame of a carriage body whereby padding and covering materials may be quickly and smoothly applied to a top-frame whose sides and ends may have Various cross-sectional shapes or may vary in crosssectional shape at different locations along a side or end.

Yet another object is to provide an upholstered carriage body top-frame having a pre-fabricated covering element made of a plurality of strips of flexible sheet material individually pro-cut and pre-shaped into the general'form of a channel, and pre-stitched together at their ends to provide a generally rectangular channel element within which padding and a generally rectangular top-frame are enclosed and secured by the securement of the channel edges over upon the outer surface of the top-frame.

Still another object is to provide an upholstered top-frame for carriages in which two generally rectangular frame elements constitute a clamp securely holding the upholstery in place and securing the carriage body material to the upholstered top-frame.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve upon prior upholstered carriage frames and prior methods of producing them.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a grooved form suitable for use in practicing my improved method;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a pre-formed channel-shaped covering element of flexible sheet material;

Figure 4 is a perspective of a corner fragment of Figure 3 on a larger scale;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the channel-shaped covering element of Figure 3 arranged in the groove of theform;

Figure 6 is a perspective of a short length of padding pre-formed as a uniform strip;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 5 but with the padding strip laid within the covering element;

Figure 8 is a perspective of a generally rectangular top-frame for a carriage;

Figure 8a is a cross-sectional view on the line Bar-4a of Figure 8, on a larger scale;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 but having the top-frame of Figure 8 laid within the covering element against the padding;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the covering element drawn tight and secured to the outer face of the top-frame;

Figure 11 is a perspective of a generally rectangular clamping frame;

Figure 11a is a cross-sectional view on line lla| la of Figure 11;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 10 but showing the carriage body material clamped between the top-frame and the clamping frame;

Figure 13 illustrates the padded and covered top-frame of Figure 12 removed from the form and turned over to a normal position in which the body material is suspended from the frame; and

Figure 14 is a detail view of a modified padding strip having the padding material mounted on a thin sheet of paper or the like and rolled to the desired shape and cross-sectional size.

Referring to the drawings, the form l0 may be of wood or other suitable material and of size to have a groove i2 therein generally of the rectangular shape of a carriage top-frame which is to be upholstered. As best seen in Fig. 2, the groove I 2 may be rectangular in cross-section and has substantial depth for receiving therein the upholstering materials and a carriage top- "same.

According to the invention a top-.frame'covering element I4 is pre-formed in the generally rectangular channel shape as seen in Fig. 3, .it being made of four sections of suitable flexible sheet material, each pre-cut as a strip and pre-shaped to the generally channel form illustrated, and then the strips are stitched together at their ends to provide a generally rectangular pre-formed channel having corners nicely assembled at the regions of stitching, preferably with a welt strip l6 stitched in at each corner as best seen in Fig. 4. This covering element i4 is adapted to be laid in the groove I2 of form 10 as represented in Fig. 5 with its channel side walls projecting out of the groove all around the rectangle of the orm.

Next, prepared padding strips 18 approximately uniform in dimensions and density throughout their extents are laid in the covering element within the groove l2 of the form as illustrated in Fig. 7. The padding strips may be made up entirely of fibrous material as in Fig. 6, or the fi-bre or other padding may be mounted on a flexible backing sheet to facilitate handling and also to facilitate formation of the padding strips, as by rolling the paper with the padding thereon into a strip of the desired cross-section and density. Such a rolled strip is represented in Fig. 14.

A carriage top-frame 20 is shown in Fig. 8, it having generally rectangular shape and dimensions for fitting in the groove I2 of form Hi. As seen in Fig. 9, the top-frame is laid in the groove [2 within the covering element [4 and against the padding, and then the projecting portions of the covering element ll are drawn tight and turned inward in overlapping relation upon the outer surface of the top frame to which surface they are suitably secured at intervals around the frame, as by staples 22, Fig. 10.

As the top-frame 20 is laid in place on the padding, the latter tends to spread somewhat under the weight of the frame so that the padding presses the sheet material of element I4 laterally against the side walls of the groove. The frame 20 has cross-sectional width somewhat less than the width of the groove 12 when lined with element 14, whereby the slightly compressed padding is cross-sectionally a little wider than the cross-section of the top-frame 20. Hence, when the protruding portions of element M are drawn tight and laid over upon the outer surface of frame 20, the padding is pulled a little around the lower corners of frame 20 to effectively pad the corners as well as the under surface of the frame. Preferably the corners of the wood frame 20 will be rounded slightly to facilitate this pull-over of the padding.

After the top-frame 20 has been padded and wrapped in the manner described, the fabric body of the carriage next is applied while the padded and wrapped frame 20 continues in groove 12 of the form. As best seen in Fig. 13, the carriage body is a preliminarily prepared generally rec'- tangular six-sided body of suitably strong flexible sheet material 24 which is suspended from frame 20 and which is adapted to receive therein a suitable rigid bottom or floor unit, not shown.

Accordingto the invention, the top marginal edge portions of such a prepared body 24 are clamped to the upholstered top-frame 2|]. For this purpose, there is provided a generally'rectangular clamping frame 26 as best seen in Fig. 11.

Looking now at Fig. 12 of the drawing, th padded and wrapped top-frame 20 is shown in the groove [2 of the form, the same as in Fig. 10. The carriage body 24 is inverted and its marginal edge portions are laid on the outer surface of the wrapped top-frame, after which the clamping frame 26 is laid thereon and secured as by screws 28 to thetop-frame, clamping the body material 24 between them. With the main portion of the inverted body 24 resting on the mid-portion 30 of the grooved form, it isfeasible to lay the margin of the body material 24 in place all around the frame and to lay the clamping frame thereon to pinch it, after which the screws 28 may be driven to complete the clamping.

Heretofore, the carriage body material has been tacked in place with a reinforcing strip, the material and strip being laid and the tacking proceeding slowly around the frame. My improved clamping feature enables the placing and securing of the body in afractionof the time. re-- quired by prior procedures, and I attain a stronger and more durable mounting of the carriage body- Also my clamping frame constitutes a. convenient element for mounting the brackets 32 for suspension of the complete carriage body on the metallic frame of the carriage.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamping of the body material 2t involves a rib-in-groove inter-engagement between the topframe 28 and the clamping frame, with the material 2Q depressed into the groove of one frame by the rib on the other frame. In Fig. 8, the top-frame 2B is shown provided 'with two such grooves 3 5 in its surface which is outermost when the frame is in the grooved form It. These grooves 34 extend all around the frame. Fig. 8a shows a cross-section of the frame as with the grooves 35 therein. Fig. 110. shows a cross-section of the clamping frame 26 with two ribs 36 on its clamping face. Hence, when the body material at is arranged between the frames 20, 26 and the clamp tightened, the material 24 is depressed into the grooves 34, as in Figs. 12 and 13, to effect an extremely secure holding of the body material. Obviously a single groove with coacting rib may be employed.

According to the invention, the padding and wrapping of a top-frame 2B is not dependent on any particular cross-sectional shape of the frame members. Actually a wide variety of crosssectional shapes may b effectively upholstered according to my disclosed method. Also, it is feasible to upholster frame members effectively and with substantially uniform distribution of padding even though a frame member may vary considerably at different points along it.

The padding too may be variously organized into strips suitable for use according to the invention. Matted fibre alone may be organized into suitable generally uniform strips, as suggested in Fig. 6, or the fibre may be adhered to a backing sheet of paper and rolled to provide strips of the desired cross-sectional shape and size, as in Fig. 14.

It will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure that I have provided an improved method whereby carriage top-frames may be upholstered efficiently and effectively in a fraction of the time required according to prior procedures. Also my top-frames may be upholstered by unskilled labor, whereas the upholstering of prior top-frames required skilled upholsterers with the heavy expense involved. Additionally, my inproved method more efficiently and effectively mounts the fabric carriage body on the upholstered top-frame, as compared with prior practices and structures.

I claim as my invention:

1. An upholstered top-frame for a carriage body, comprising a generally rectangular rigid frame having padding in strip form distributed uniformly on the top surface of the rigid frame, a pre-fabricated generally rectangular covering element of flexible sheet material made of a plurality of strips each formed with generally channel-shape cross-section and stitched together at the corners of the rectangle, said covering element being disposed over the rigid frame with said padding engaged in the bottom of its channel, the opposite edge portions of the channel walls of the covering element being laid over upon and secured to the under surface of the rigid frame.

2. An upholstered top-frame for a carriage body, comprising a generally rectangular rigid frame having padding in strip form distributed uniformly on the top surface ofthe rigid frame, a pre-fabricated generally rectangular covering element of flexible sheet material made of a plurality of strips each formed with generally channel-shape cross-section and stitched together at the corners of the rectangle, said covering element being disposed over the rigid frame with said padding engaged in the-bottom of its channel, the opposite edge portions of the channel walls of the covering element beinglaid over upon and secured to the under surface of the rigid frame, carriage body flexible sheet material depending within the top-frame and having its top marginal edge portion turned outward all around the body and laid against the under surface of the covered frame, and a rigid generally rectangular clamping member clamping the outturned margin of the body material against the frame all around the rectangular extent of the latter.

3. An upholstered top-frame for a carriage body, comprising a generally rectangular rigid frame having padding in strip form distributed uniformly on the top surface of the rigid frame, a ore-fabricated generally rectangular covering element of flexible sheet material made of a plurality of strips each formed with generally channel-shape cross-section and stitched together at the corners of the rectangle, said covering element being disposed over the rigid frame with said padding engaged in the bottom of its channel, the opposite edge portions of the channel walls of the covering element being laid over upon and secured to the under surface of the rigid frame, carriage body flexible sheet material depending within the top-frame and having its top marginal edge portion turned outward all around the body and laid against the under sur-- face of the covered frame, and a rigid generally rectangular clamping member clamping the outturned margin of the body material against the frame all around the rectangular extent of the latter, said rigid top-frame having a groove in its under side extending all around the frame, and said clamping member having a complementary rib at its top side depressing said turned out margin of the body material into the groove of the top-frame.

4. In a baby carriage and the like having a body of flexible sheet material, an upholstered topframe supporting said flexible sheet body and comprising a generally rectangular rigid topframe member and a pre-stitched frame-covering element of flexible sheet material pre-shaped to fit loosely over the top-frame and disposed thereover, padding material intervening between the frame and the frame-covering element along at least one covered surface of the frame, said frame-covering element being drawn over the padding material into tightly wrapped relation to said material and frame, and a generally rectangular rigid clamping member secured to a surface of the covered top frame which is substantially free of the padding material with the top marginal portions of the flexible sheet body securely clamped between the top frame and the clamping member.

5. In a baby carriage and the like having a body of flexible sheet material, an upholstered top-frame supporting said flexible sheet body and comprising a generally rectangular rigid top-frame member and a pro-stitched framecovering element of flexible sheet material preshaped to fit loosely over the top frame and dis- 7 posed thereover, padding material intervening between the frame and the frame-covering element along at least one covered surface of the frame, said frame-covering element being drawn over the padding material into tightly wrapped relation to said material and frame, and a generally rectangular rigid clamping member secured to a surface of the covered top-frame which is substantially free of the padding material with the top marginal portions of the flexible sheet body securely clamped between the top-frame and the clamping member, said top-frame mem her and said clamping member having their confronting surfaces formed respectively with a groove and with a rib, and said clamped marginal 15 REFERENCES ormn UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 258,756 Holmes May 30, 1882 1,111,966 Kronheiin Sept. 29, 1914 1,298,836 Vetter Apr. 1, 1919 1,314,408 Lewis Aug. 26, 1919 1,321,458 Iiedwinka Nov. 11, 1919 1,497,247 Scrutton June 10, 1924 1,769,294 Johnson et al July 1, 1930 2,055,890 Berry Sept. 29, 1936 2,131,704 Daly et al Sept. 27, 1938 

